"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
09/16/2015 at 18:38 • Filed to: Fiat, Panda, 169, Tychy, James May
2
7|
"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
09/16/2015 at 18:38 • Filed to: Fiat, Panda, 169, Tychy, James May | 2
| 7 |
Fiat day today. There was a Fiat 169?? Indeed there was, the Panda Mk2 was thus codenumbered.
The original Panda was a basic and oh-so-sensible model with such eccentric practicalities as hammock style seats and flat glass all round. Things that it didn’t come as standard with included an ability to pass crash requirements., so enter the Mk2. Looked just like this:
The twin cylinder aircooled engine available on the Mk1 didn’t reappear (although the Mk3 saw a return to a twin, just not that twin), the Mk2 relying solely on a range of fours, with petrol units of 1.1 (couldn’t get out of its own way), 1.2 ( could get a little out of its own way, with a whole 60 hp) or 1.4 litres (100 hp, so reasonably quick) and a 1.3 diesel. The front wheels were generally driven but there was a 4wd variant.
Production was from 2003 to 2012 and like some other small Fiats precisely none were made in Italy. They came from Tychy in Poland which nowadays makes the Panda-based 500 and surprisingly the equally Panda-based Ford Ka. The Mk3 Panda has returned to Italy for political reasons.
Trivia: the 169 was sold with the Dualogic automated manual:
More trivia: James May owned a Panda.
dogisbadob
> Cé hé sin
09/16/2015 at 18:40 |
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Fuck them for not selling it over here.
Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
> Cé hé sin
09/16/2015 at 18:54 |
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Further trivia: I also owned a Panda and it blew up... twice.
bob and john
> Cé hé sin
09/16/2015 at 19:05 |
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there is some crazy mofo who dropped in a GSX-R 1000 motor into a first gen panda 4X4.
thing HAULED
BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo
> Cé hé sin
09/16/2015 at 19:13 |
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Great news!
James May owned a Fiat Panda.
He replaced it with an i3, evidently.
tapzz
> Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/16/2015 at 19:37 |
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Lemme guess- you had the diesel...
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Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
> tapzz
09/16/2015 at 19:49 |
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Indeed
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tapzz
> Cé hé sin
09/16/2015 at 19:50 |
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I have an unreasonable desire for a Mk 2 Panda, particularly the 1.2 Active.
Maximal utility in a minimal package. No pretensions and cheery with it. The simple pleasure of piloting something light in weight, small in size and agile in response. Pragmatic, simple tech that was debugged decades ago. Never in fashion, so not really out of it either.
Most of all: cheap as chips to buy, run and fix. No worries, more happy.